Blue Painted Scars
by Alithe Cambre
Summary: Blue!Paint Zutara. Slight AU, arguably OOC. Toph, Sokka, and Katara are sick again and Aang is captured. The Blue Spirit rescues him but who else does the banished prince find in Zhao's ship? Non-graphic torture and implied rape. Eventual lemons.
1. Chapter 1

Blue Painted Scars

Timelines: Starts during "Zuko Alone" when Zuko and Iroh are separated. Some other things are off so I guess this is a slight AU. Just go with it.

AN: So I had this idea while reading CultofStrawberry's story "Kiss of Fire". It's a sequel story so if you're going to read it read the first one before KoF. Otherwise you'll just confuse yourself. But anyways, I feel I should warn you that there will be rape and character death along with the torture of prisoners of war. Nothing too graphic, though. This starts when Katara and Sokka are sick again and Aang is captured by Admiral Zhao only the Blue Spirit shows up and other stuff happens.

**Chapter One**

**-Katara's POV-**

My mother was sitting next to me, stroking my hair. She made soft noises in her throat to soothe me and dabbed at the sweat on my brow with a wet cloth. My body was swathed in blankets but I was still cold. And then reality set in.

My mother was dead. I blinked and the hallucination disappeared. I felt like crying as another bout of shivers wracked through my sore body, making my muscles and nerves scream in protest. I sneezed loudly and heard Sokka murmuring to himself in his own delirious state. My mouth was dryer than the sand on a sunny beach and I licked my chapped lips in a futile effort for some moisture. I realized distantly that I must be getting better because I was coherent and conscious, able to sustain non-delusional thought. But I still had a ways to go before I was recovered.

As I lay in a cold sweat, my mind wandered. I wasn't tired enough to sleep, but my body was exhausted. I thought about Aang and myself. The Avatar had a crush on me; that much was obvious. What wasn't obvious, however, is how I felt about him. Typically I had no time to ponder these things but now was as good a time as any. I thought about Aang. He was funny and sweet and cute. But somehow, I just didn't find him attractive in… _that _way. I was a sixteen year old girl and he was a thirteen year old kid. He liked to show off to get my attention and shoved chopstick up his nose while pretending he was a walrus-seal. I thought of how I felt for Sokka and compared it to how I felt for Aang. In my mind, there was very little difference.

A loud crash broke my train of thought. I lifted my gaze, thinking Aang was back with the cure for our sickness, but what I saw sent a chill of fear through me. A fire nation man in full soldier armor ad just kicked down the door of the shed we were lying in and was reaching towards me. Appa groaned and stood from underneath us, swatting the soldier away with his tail. Toph, Sokka and I hit the ground hard. The last thing I remember before my head hit the concrete was about ten or twelve more Fire Nation soldiers pouring into the room.

**-Aang's POV-**

I giggled as another frog thawed and began wriggling out of my tunic. Admiral Zhao glared and I had to force my expression into a serious one. I knew it was no time for laughing. Although, considering last time he had captured me I had frogs, he probably thought they were some weird pet of mine. If I didn't escape soon, Sokka and Katara could die. If Zhao managed to turn me into Ozai, it would be over for me. They'd kill me for sure, and maybe even provoke me into the Avatar state before doing it. The admiral gave me one last glare before exiting the cabin, slamming the door behind him. I exhaled heavily and slumped in my chains, thinking hard. The door creaked open slowly and I raised my head to see who it was.

I gasped. The Blue Spirit stood in the doorway; a pair of legs with Fire Nation armor on them stuck out behind him. "Zuko," I hissed. The masked figure shook his head and put a finger up to the lips of the mask. He slid across the floor, silent and smooth as he unsheathed his blades and cut me free, the metal barely clanging as he did so. I rubbed my raw wrists and looked at him with a wry smile. "I suppose that this rescue is for the same reason it was last time?"

"Don't take it personally." He hissed back from under the mask. His golden eyes glinted humorlessly. "Where are the earthbender, waterbender and her brother?"

"Sick. I went to get swamp frogs to cure them but I was captured." I could practically see him scowling.

"You're an idiot! You left them unprotected?"

"They have Appa!" I defended myself. "Besides, I needed to get the cure. Momo is with them too." Zuko sighed and squeezed his eyes shut.

"You left them with a flying bison and a lemur-bat. Great." He sighed again. "Whatever. Right now, I need to get you out of here. Where is your glider?"

"Um… I dunno," I smiled and shrugged. "Zhao took it."

"Okay, he probably put it in the hold. I'll be right back. Do Not Move." He slipped out silently. I sighed and sat down on the pedestal in the center of the room. A minute later, Zuko slipped back into my cell and handed me my glider. "I'm going to burn you a hole in the hull of the ship to fly out of, okay?"

"Um… Okay…" I said warily. He extended a hand and all the fire from the torches on the walls flew to him. His mask looked as if it was floating in the eerie light and I suppressed a shiver of fear. Zuko formed the fire into a sphere of flames with his hands and seemed to be concentrating, his gold eyes reflecting the light of his element. The fire in his hands began to change colors.

I blinked. The orange flames grew paler and greener which faded into blue which then transitioned into a pure white. I was standing six feet away and I could feel the intense heat, forcing me to take several steps back. He used the condensed white flame to melt through the hull. I watched in awe and slight horror as the metal walls melted like ice next to a bonfire, leaving behind a trail of molten lava which dripped into the water below with an angry sizzle. When he finished I could see his chest heaving and the sweat marks where his outfit clung to his skin. He dispersed the flame easily enough and stepped back.

"Use your airbending to cool it and run. Zig and zag because Zhao has expert archers with him. Go back to your friends, Avatar, and run; I'll be right behind you." He said the last part not as a reassurance, but as a threat. I nodded sadly and did as he said. I glided away with minimal opposition. I should have known then that something was wrong.

**-Zuko's POV-**

I could have just jumped in the water after the Avatar and swam to the port- less than a mile away. I looked down to the water twenty feet below and made a decision. Whatever made me make up my mind, I do not know. But for whatever reason, I turned and decided to sneak to a lower level and swim out there. This decision had the added benefit of melting another hole in Zhao's ship.

I left the Avatar's former cell in silence, bolting the door behind me and dragging the unconscious guard into an alcove. I nearly laughed at the security as I slipped past it and made my way to a lower level. These were the men that had "captured" the Avatar? Pathetic.

I kept to the shadows, extinguishing a few lamps to create darkness where there wasn't any- unless there were guards, of course. I was patient with my path, waiting as long as was necessary. One is always caught if one loses one's patience. My journey took about an hour to get down three levels. And then I heard the noises. Whip lashes followed by feminine screams and pleads. The laughter of disgusting men echoed after every lash. The slap of skin on skin… repeatedly… coupled with the screams of the woman.

And suddenly it all made sense. My brain pieced together the signs even as it refused to believe it. Someone was being tortured. Some woman was being tortured. Some poor woman was being raped. And just like that, I had no more patience. My rage built and exploded rapidly. I managed to be quiet as I drew my Dao blades and kicked open the door. The door slammed against the wall and the scene I was only partially prepared for greeted me.

The Avatar's waterbender lay in the center of the room on a goose feather mattress. She was naked and chained. Her blood soaked through the mattress and her clothes which were in shreds nearby. It dripped down her thighs and I knew that they had forcibly taken her maidenhead- and none too gently. Another bubble of rage exploded and I lunged forward at the still stunned, faceless soldiers. I killed them all in under a minute. The waterbender- Katara, I think her name was, had her eyes clamped shut and was quivering in fear. I cut her chains swiftly and grabbed a blanket from the corner of the room, wrapping it around her beaten and bloodied form; I paid extra care to the lash marks on her back and the burn marks on her hips. And then I formed my first white flame with no base flame ever.

In another situation, I would have been proud of myself. At the time, I was just furious. In one arm I cradled a beautiful warrior that had been taken down in the worst way, and in the other I held the hottest flame on earth, totally based upon the compassion and other powerful emotions of the bender. Not even Azula could create a flame like that. But it was because of the warrior I held that I did not care. I melted a hole in the hull in record time and slipped into the water, sliding her so that see was on my back. Barely conscious, I felt her hands encircle my neck. She held on tightly as I swam.

Apparently the ship was not running full steam because we were now only about one and a half miles away from the beach. I may be a firebender, but I grew up o the beaches of Ember Island, it was a distance I could make easily. The waterbender on my back was virtually weightless ad I wondered if it was because she was surrounded by her element. I continued to make long strokes through the calm waves but eventually my mask became irritating. I stopped to tread water for a moment, using my hands to untie the band and slipping it under my sword belt for safekeeping before continuing on towards the shore.

Just as my arms were about to give out, my left foot stuck the sandy bottom of the ocean. I nearly cried in relief and swam for a little longer. When I could place both palms flat on the bottom I stood, hitching Katara's legs around my waist and carrying her piggyback style. She was no longer conscious so I had to slump forward to keep her centered. No one was on the beach and it was dark outside, clouds covering the stars and moon. I trekked along the Fire Nation beach until it faded into the forest. I found the clearing I had been using for the past few days and laid the waterbender down as gently as I could on her stomach.

I opened the blanket to examine her wounds. Reaching into my tent, I pulled out my medicine bag and began o clean her up. I put a beeswax ointment on her whip lashes and an aloe on her burns. I did the best I could at wrapping gauze around her torso without jostling her too much and pulled out an extra tunic of mine to cover her, using cloth wrappings to form a sort of bandage for in between her legs. Ridiculously, I was blushing as I maneuvered around her naked body but I looked no more than necessary. I was nothing if not a gentleman. I noticed that she still wore her mother's necklace (the one I had found and used as bait so long ago) and left it alone. After I finished, I removed the wet blanket and placed her in my own bedroll, making sure she was comfortable and warm.

As soon as I finished changing out of my own sopping wet clothes, I curled up next to the logs I had gathered earlier that day and lit them with a simple flick of my wrist. I fell asleep in record time.


	2. Chapter 2

**Blue Painted Scars**

**AN: This is Season 2 Episode 3 "The Chase and Season 3 Episode 3 "The Painted Lady". The next chapter will be a continuation of "The Painted Lady" and then go on to Season 2 Episode 14. I am moving the episodes to fit my story but this is the only major change (which is why this is a slightly AU story) and I will probably continue on to Season 2 Episode 15 and so on. I may skip a few things though.**

**Chapter Two**

**-Katara's POV-**

I woke up in confusion. Last thing I remembered, I was cold, bloody, and in pain. I sat up carefully and looked down at myself. I was wearing a simple peach-y tunic with a string collar. I could feel another layer and folded the bedroll down to see that someone had bound my nether regions up. I tried to keep my breathing calm as the flashbacks of my defilement danced through my memory. I also noticed the smell of beeswax and aloe and pulled the tunic up to see my torso had also been bound tightly.

A blue mask flitted through my memory. I had been rescued by a man in a mask. But who was underneath it? I cautiously got onto my knees and pulled the tent flap aside. A shaggy black haired man was curled up on the ground. In front of him were the dying embers of a fire and in a pile beside him were some soggy black clothes and a familiar blue mask. So he must be my savior. I crawled out of the tent carefully and stood using a nearby tree as support. I hobbled over and saw… a scar.

Not just any scar, though, Zuko's scar. I had a moment of panic in which I almost fell over. Zuko? He saved me? Was e going to use me as ransom for Aang? Why else would he save me? Was he going to use me like those men had? A feeling of worthlessness overcame all my other emotions and I sat down slowly.

The panic passed and I shook my head, trying to think logically. And it started to make sense. Zuko was the Blue Spirit that Aang had talked about. The bad guy who saved him and wasn't technically bad. I began to wonder what motivated him. What was the purpose of chasing the Avatar? Surely there had to be some benefit for him beyond the glory. And then he stirred. I looked around and noticed that the sun had just finished rising, hovering just above the horizon now. Firebenders rose with the sun so he must be exhausted. Vaguely I recalled that we had swam to freedom and that he must have not only saved my life but risked his own in the process- an extra body would have slowed him down considerably.

I decided to be civil to him and see what happened. If he was cruel then I could be cruel back but I wasn't going to be mean to the man who saved my life, old enemies or not. Zuko blinked his eyes open with a groan and I suppressed a giggle at how unexpectedly adorable he looked. He opened his golden eyes and focused on me. A moment passed and suddenly he was several feet away in a battle stance. I blinked in shock.

"Katara?" he asked, sounding confused. He relaxed his stance and took a step forward. "You're up? Are you okay? How are you feeling?" I stood up slowly, ignoring the twinges of pain in my back, legs, and inner thigh area. Zuko made as if to help me up but stepped back when he saw I could handle it.

"I'm fine, all things considered." I was silent for a moment and we stared at each other awkwardly. "Thank you," I mumbled sincerely, blushing like I had sunburn. Zuko kicked the dirt in discomfiture and looked away.

"You're welcome. I couldn't… I wasn't going to just leave you there." My stomach rumbled loudly in the silence and my hands flew to the offending appendage. Zuko's laugh broke through my embarrassment and I couldn't help but smile at the rich, raspy sound. "Hungry?" he asked rhetorically with a bit of humor. "Here,"

Zuko crossed the clearing and grabbed onto a rope that was tied to a low hanging branch, the other end up in the higher branches somewhere. He untied the low end and slowly lowered the basket that was tied to the other end of the makeshift pulley. He opened the basket and I saw he had jerky and other dried meats along with two coconuts, a mango, some pears, and a couple of pomegranates. I began to salivate. I walked over and grabbed a pomegranate for energy and Zuko did the same before raising the basket back into the treetops and retying the other end.

We ate in comfortable silence. The tangy sweet fruit and its many seeds left a dry aftertaste in my mouth. "Is there a stream nearby?" I asked. Zuko nodded and got up from the tree stump where he'd been sitting. He came over and helped me up from my own perch. I couldn't help but notice how warm his lightly calloused hands were. Perks of being a firebender, I supposed.

He led me to a small stream that was heading towards the shore. I guessed that it originated from an underground spring somewhere in the north. I raised my arms and gathered the water into little spheres, each one about the size of one swallow. I bended them up into my mouth and smiled at the curiosity on the firebender's face. "Would you like one?" he nodded cautiously. "Open up," I grinned. He warily did as I instructed and I levitated one into his mouth, cooling it to slightly below freezing temp. He gulped it down and smiled at me.

"Just what I needed." He sighed. I giggled. I was about to bend over when I remembered my injuries. Master Pakku had said that healing oneself alone was impossible… but maybe…

"Zuko, will you help me with something?" I asked suddenly. He frowned slightly at the subject change.

"What?"

"Well, master waterbenders can do this thing… we can heal wounds in the blink of an eye with enough power and concentration. But we can't heal fatal wounds or ourselves. But I do need to clean the wounds, change the bandages, and put new ointment on every few hours."

"I can do that," I smiled slightly, he seemed determined to help. It was already getting hard to believe that just yesterday morning I had considered him Avatar enemy number two.

"I can clean the wounds but I cannot wrap my own wounds or put the ointment on." Zuko bit his lip and nodded. I noticed again how good looking he was. I mentally scolded myself for the observation.

I gently lifted the tunic and pulled it off. It was nothing he hadn't seen, I reasoned. I turned my back towards him, knowing that was where the worst of it was. I began unraveling the gauze and he helped. I blushed when his fingers brushed against my bare skin. The pleasant feeling left on the last layer. It peeled off painfully, sticking to the lashes and the ointment. The burns on my hips were not as deep but they still stung. Zuko puffed out a breath.

"They look worse in the light." He told me. I laughed.

"Well they feel the same." He chuckled at my morbid teasing. I bended the water from the stream, encasing myself in a gentle cocoon. I then directed the water in and out of my injuries, cleaning the lashes and burns with the cool water. It stung a little but it also felt really good.

As soon as I let the water fall back into the stream I felt Zuko's unnaturally warm hands on my back, gently spreading the thin paste over my cuts and burns. After he finished, I covered my bare chest with an arm and turned to face the banished prince. He handed me the gauze from his waistband and I took it gratefully. I turned back around and began rewrapping my torso. I had a bit of trouble and I felt his fingers gently pry the roll from me.

"Here, let me help." He stood close to me, using his arms to wrap from my chest all the way around my torso.

"Thank you, Zuko. For everything," I turned and wrapped him in a warm embrace. He stiffened, surprised, but relaxed bit by bit and tentatively hugged me back. I sighed and held him tighter. He buried his nose in my hair and exhaled.

"No problem," I blushed and pulled away.

"You do realize how extremely weird this is, right?"

"If you are referring to the fact that yesterday morning we were enemies the… yes. But I don't really care."

"Nor do I, really," I was silent for a moment. "Can I just ask one thing?" Zuko looked up to meet my gaze cautiously.

"What?"

"Why… Why was it- or is it- so important to you that you capture the Avatar?" Zuko blew out a breath.

"That's a loaded question." He was silent for a long time. I was about to tell him that he didn't have to answer when he spoke. "Five years ago, I was banished from my nation. My father had told me since I was born that there is nothing more important than my country and my honor. When he banished me, I lost both. His last words to me ere something along the lines of: 'If you capture the Avatar, I'll let you come home'." He chewed on his lip for a moment before meeting my gaze again. "But after a while I knew it was hopeless. The Avatar was a joke- no one had seen him for over 100 years. And then I saw the light of the awakening. Uncle tried to stop me but I invaded the South Water Tribe and ignored him. I thought maybe that after all this time it was meant to be. That it was my destiny to capture the old man and return home in glory and honor to my father.

"And after I failed at the pole I wasn't going to just give up. Uncle always told me to be calm, to look carefully, and to be kind. I ignored him as always. I continued to fail time and time again and it wasn't long before I began to question the task my father laid out for me. And so I talked to Uncle." Zuko paused. When he spoke again, he sounded as if he was forcing back some emotion, his raspy voice cracking. "Uncle… he was blunt with me. He told me that my father had never really loved me or my sister. He didn't say this unkindly, but rather as a fact. He told me that my father was incapable of love and that the only time he could remember Ozai loving anyone was when he married my mother. But she left him and so he drove himself into delusions, telling everyone that she had died." I stepped forward and wrapped Zuko into an embrace.

"Why tell you now?" I asked. "Why didn't your Uncle tell you before?" he wrapped his arms around me loosely and answered.

"He said… he said that he didn't have the heart. He told me that I was too young and had to realize it on my own. I told him that I needed some time to think on my own and he agreed. And so I came here. I was in a pub when I heard that the Avatar had been captured by Admiral Zhao and his crew so I stowed away on his ship and rescued him. I told him to run because I'd be coming after him and he did. Then I walked to a lower level ad found you." He paused and pilled me a little closer but was mindful of my injuries. I held him for a few more comfortable minutes. When we pulled away he sniffed a bit and straightened up.

"Anyways…" I trailed off, suddenly feeling a bit awkward.

"We need to get you new clothes. After that I think we need to find a more permanent residence. Uncle is coming to retrieve me in a month's time. He said there is a village in the bay south of here which would be a good place to hide I plain sight."

"Okay," I nodded. "What is our cover story?" he thought for a moment.

"I am Lee and you are Miki. We're a young couple who are engaged against my parents' will and ran away to be together but were attacked by pirates on the way here. I'll wrap my scar up and pretend it's a new injury. Your mother is Water Tribe which is why our parents disapproved and also explains your eyes and skin color." I nodded.

"And our bending?"

"We'll conceal it for safety's sake. I have some money that Uncle left me which should be enough for a dress and a small house but we'll need to get jobs because the food we have won't last long."

"I can do that," I nodded again. He smiled.

"Not for another week though. I am putting you on strict bed rest until your cuts at least heal." I scowled.

"I can take care of myself,"

"I know you can. But still… please stay in bed? It'll make me feel better." He pulled an all out smolder on me and I crumbled.

"Fine," I pouted. "C'mon, let's go." I sighed and walked back to the campsite. He followed, laughing to himself. We packed the supplies and trekked along. As we walked I thought of something. "Hey, if we were attacked by pirates, how come we have all this stuff?" Zuko paused with a thoughtful expression.

"Hm. We could say that my family was rich and they took half out money, our ostrich horses, and our wagon of food since we don't have any." I nodded, accepting this explanation.

And we continued on.

-Toph's POV-

I was sick of this. Aang yelled at me that it was my fault that Katara got captured. I know we're all tired thanks to the three girls from Omashu but really? I was sick, what was I supposed to do?

I kicked a pebble out of my path and grumbled. Suddenly I felt the vibrations of another heartbeat approaching. I shifted my weight and launched the person, running onto a nearby boulder for a higher perch.

"Ow," the voice belonged to an old man. "That really hurt my tailbone." I dropped my earthbending stance.

"Sorry," I apologized stiffly. The old man turned to face me as he stood.

"Not a problem. How about you make it up to me by staying for a nice cup of tea?" I paused and nodded. I was tired and thirsty and tea sounded really good.

About six minutes later, the man (Iroh, he told me his name was) poured us some tea. For some reason, this irritated me slightly.

""Here is your tea," he said, handing it to me. I used the ripples to "see" what he was handing me and took it gratefully. "You seem a little too young to be travelling alone."

"You seem a little too old," I shot back. There was a pause and then he laughed heartily.

"Perhaps I am," he agreed.

"I know what you're thinking. I look like I can't handle being by myself."

"I wasn't thinking that!"

"You wouldn't even let me pour my own cup of tea!" I pointed out.

"I poured your tea because I wanted to, and for no other reason."

"People see me and think I'm weak. They want to take care of me. But I can take care of myself, by myself."

"You sound like my nephew," the old man said with a sigh. "Always thinking you need to do things on your own, without anyone's support. There is nothing wrong with letting the people who love you take care of you… not that I love you! I just met you." He laughed and I joined in, feeling a lot better.

"So where is your nephew?" I couldn't feel anyone nearby.

"I've been tracking him, actually." Iroh sighed.

"Is he lost?" I asked, confused.

Iroh paused. "Yes, a little bit. His life has recently changed and he's going through very difficult times. He's trying to figure out who he is and he went away. I told him that I would be back to get him in two month's time, but I can't just leave him completely alone."

"So you're following him?" I asked, not really understanding.

"I know he doesn't want me around right now. Some of the changes he's dealing with are because of me. But if he ever does need me, I'll be here." I nodded, finally getting it.

"Your nephew is very lucky, even if he does not know it." I stood up to leave, drinking the last of the delicious jasmine tea. "Thank you,"

"My pleasure. Sharing tea with a fascinating stranger is one of life's true delights."

"No, thank you for what you said. It helped me." He sounded pleased when he responded.

"I'm glad." I walked a few steps away before turning to say one last thing.

"Oh and, about your nephew, maybe you should tell him that you need him too." I walked away and he gave no response, simply sipping his tea.

-Zuko's POV-

Jang Hui: the most polluted river in the Fire Nation, and our new home for the next month and a half. A crazy man named "Dock" ferried us into the village, which was built in the middle of the river.

"If the water is so polluted, why don't they just leave?" I asked Katara. She gave me a look.

"Zuko, this is their home. It's not just a village to them, and homes are not easily forgotten and left behind." Her hand strayed to her necklace as she stared off into the distance. "I should know," she muttered.

I thought of my own home. It was never a very welcoming home. As soon as Azula started bending, it seemed like the only one who noticed me was my Mother, Uncle, and Mai. That is, unless I was "disgracing myself" as Father put it. Thinking back, I don't know how I missed it. My Uncle clearly loved me and my Father clearly didn't. After my Mother left, he had spiraled into insanity, prone to fits of fiery anger and rage for no reason other than a servant gave him lukewarm tea or Uncle was teaching me more advanced firebending stances.

I sighed as we docked at the village. Dock spoke up. "There are three empty huts at the village edge, you can choose one and we won't charge you a dime. There are jobs at the market with my brother Cod, he needs a strong young lad to help him gather fruits and go hunting on the mainland. It'll be a two day and three night trip, but the pay is good." I nodded, that didn't sound too bad.

"When is this trip?" I asked.

"Well, hold on a minute, I'll get my brother and ask him." he stepped behind a nearby food stand and squatted down. When he came back up he was wearing a different hat.

"Hello there! I'm Cod! My brother tells me you've been asking about the foraging trip I have planned. Tell you what; we'll leave in about a week. It'll be long and arduous but the village needs the food and they'll pay handsomely. I'll give you half the profits. Fair?" I looked at the crazy old man's outstretched hand warily. Katara stifled a laugh. I sighed and shook the offered hand.

"Fair deal," I agreed. "We'd better go get settled in until my Uncle gets here. He approves of our engagement, at least." I hoped I could get Uncle to play along with this when he got here. We walked away and a young boy stepped forward.

"So how long are y'all stayin'?" he asked with a slight lisp. Katara smiled at him.

"We'll only stay for about a month or so, maybe a bit longer. My betrothed's Uncle will be coming to retrieve us and bring us to Ba Sing Sei, where we can be together." She made moony eyes at me and my stomach flipped.

"My daddy'll show y'all where your house is gonna be, 'kay?" a man stepped forward and put his hand on Katara's waist. And then something very odd happened.

Katara screamed and pulled away from the man, burying her face into my side.

"No, don't touch me, please, don't hurt me… Zuko! Don't let them get me, please!"

"K-Miki," I recovered from my shock and wrapped my arms around Katara, holding her close and shushing her gently. "Miki, hush, I've got you, they can't hurt you, I'm here," I muttered. The man stared at us in shock that slowly faded into pity and slight horror.

"Oh Agni," he breathed in understanding. "You were attacked?"

"Pirates," I nodded stiffly. "They…" I swallowed, unable to finish my sentence.

"…took her honor?" he finished quietly. I clenched my teeth and nodded. No acting was involved in this response, I was truly furious. Katara may put up a strong front but inside she was still an abused rape victim and one does not come through that unscathed. I wondered why she didn't react like that when I touched her. "Come on," the man said gently, touching my shoulder. "I'll show you to your house. It's right next to mine and if you need anything, just come right over. The wife and I married under my father's disapproval too, you know. That's how we ended up here." I nodded.

"Thank you. And we are lucky, I suppose. My Uncle is a kind man, one of the few of his age not affected by the prejudice against the other nations." Katara had calmed down a bit but I still held her close as we walked. She looked exhausted and I wished that I didn't have our bags in my other arm so that I could just pick her up and carry her.

The hut we were led to was surprisingly nice. The floors were swept and there were three separate rooms- one was even a bathroom with a toilet that led straight into the river that carried the waste away. The bedroom was simple, a white bed with white cotton sheets and a fluff of mosquito-fly netting surrounding it. Lastly was the kitchen. It was also very simple, a wood burning stove and a few iron pans, a single stew pot, and a wash basin. In the center was a table with four chairs and a stack of plates and cups. It was no palace, but it was exponentially better than sleeping in the forest on the ground.

"Thank you," I thanked the man. Katara sniffed and looked up at him.

"I'm sorry," she muttered. "Thank you,"

"No problem. I'm Kuzo and my wife is Leila. You met my son Kai and we have a daughter named Maika who is just learning to walk."

"I'm Lee and this is my fiancée Miki. We're from the Fire Nation, but Miki's mother is from the water tribe which is why my parents didn't approve of our love. It's also where she gets her beautiful blue eyes," I sighed and smiled softly down at Katara. She hugged me again and Kuzo smiled.

"Well, welcome to the village, Lee and Miki. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, even if just for a month or so." I bowed as well as I could with Katara tucked under my arm and he returned it respectfully before he left.

After he was gone I brought Katara into the bedroom and tucked her in the sheets.

"Take a nap, Katara. I'll go see if I can find some food and a dress for you." She nodded, still looking exhausted.

"Zuko… thank you," she said softly. I smiled a little and she closed her eyes.

"You are welcome, beautiful," the endearment slipped out before I could stop it and she sighed before her breathing evened out. She was asleep. I left the hut quietly, thinking hard.

What was this feeling?

-Author's Note-

Oh jeez. This kind of dragged on, didn't it? I swear, I didn't mean for that to happen. I probably wouldn't expect too many chapters this long in the future, either. Please Review! I'll have the next chapter up by tomorrow, I think. Or maybe later today! Who knows, it's only 8 o'clock in the morning!


	3. Chapter 3

**Blue Painted Scars**

**AN: Woo! Two chapters in one day! Man, I need a life! Oh well, it's SUMMER! (PS Missycole23, is this a fast enough review for you?) **

**Chapter Three**

-Katara's POV-

I woke up to someone gently shaking my shoulder. I panicked for a moment, shooting up and backing away from the hand but relaxed as my vision focused in on Zuko.

"Sorry," I muttered. Zuko shook his head.

"No, I'm sorry. I was just waking you to tell you that I got you a dress and a few more mangos." He handed me a bundle of red cloth with a mango on top. "Your shoes are over there," he pointed and I saw the lace up black boots, similar to his own except it looked like they were built to go to my mid calf instead of my knee. I took a bit of the mango and unrolled the bundle of clothes. There was a pair of dark red leggings that would fit easily under my boots. A stirrup had been sewn into place so that they wouldn't come out of the shoes. The dress was a simple halter top, a lighter shade of red and backless, fitting for the warmer temperatures of the Fire Nation.

"Thank you, Zuko," I breathed. He blushed a little and I suppressed a giggle. He shifted away from me, digging in his sash for a moment and pulling his hand out with a clenched fist.

"I, uh… I made you something else… to go with our story, you know?" he unclenched his hand and I gasped.

There in his palm was the most beautiful necklace I had ever seen. The rock glittered and was the same color as the moon. An intricate carving was etched into it with care, depicting the Fire Nation emblem cradled in the arms of a crescent moon, reminiscent of Tui and La curled around each other. The band was silk and red.

"Zuko…" I gasped out, awestruck by the gift and clutching my mother's necklace tightly. "It's spectacular… I can't even find words." He smiled crookedly, still blushing endearingly.

I hesitated before reaching behind me and untying my mother's necklace. I wrapped the blue band around my wrist a few times before holding it out for Zuko to tie, which he did. I then turned my back to him and lifted my hair. He maneuvered the new band around my neck and tied it gently but tightly behind my neck, sending shivers down my spine. The weight of it was slightly heavier than my old one and it was somehow comforting. I dropped my hair and turned back to face him. He looked so happy that I leaned forward and crushed him into my embrace, inhaling a scent that was like wood smoke and cedar trees and pure Zuko. He hugged me back, mindful of my injuries.

We pulled apart some time later, both grinning like fools.

-Zuko's POV—

I had to admit, Uncle's carving lessons ad more than paid off. The stone was one I had found by the riverside on accident while I was wandering towards the seamstress' shop, which was inland a bit. It had reminded me of Katara, so I had taken a nail and my dagger and whittled away a bit. I was quite pleased with the end product, but somehow I was even more pleased when I saw it hanging around Katara's neck.

For the next week, Katara healed more and more. I took my bandage off and slapped my scar a few times to make it pink and covered it with beeswax ointment to make it look fresher. It was a relief to be able to see properly out of my left eye again. We had dinner at Kuzo's house with his wife and children at the end of the week. Katara and I played our part, cuddling close when necessary and pecking each other on the cheek. And as the night went on and we built up the story of our relationship, _I_ even began to believe it.

Not only that, but I felt an intense _longing_ for it to be true. I wanted to be the type of man who swept a half-Water Tribe woman off her feet and ran away with her for love, damning the consequences. I didn't want to be 'Prince Zuko, son of Ozai: Exile of the Fire Nation for treasonous actions towards a military general and the refusal to complete an Agni Kai'. I wanted to be plain old Lee, wealthy outcast whose life was saved by a half Water Tribe peasant; the man who had fallen in love and ran with it. Not the banished prince who had fallen in love and could not tell her.

Because I had. I had fallen in love with Katara, master waterbender and recent victim of kidnapping. But if I told her… what would become of us? When this war ended… could she be the Fire Lady at my side? Would she even want me? Surely not.

And so I remained the coward for both selfish and selfless reasons.

We returned home that night and got into bed as usual, both curled up on opposite sides. For some reason though, instead of going straight to sleep as usual, Katara spoke.

"Zuko?"

"Hm?"

"Can I ask you something potentially rude?" I paused, shaking away the strands of sleep that had captured me in the moments of silence before she'd spoken.

"What?" she paused and took a breath.

"Where… How did you get your scar?" I lay very still for several moments, my mind racing. A bit of forgotten pain surfaced but I pushed it away. I must have been silent for a long time because Katara spoke again. "I'm sorry; you don't have to answer…"

"No," I cut her off. "No, it's fine. I'll answer, just let me gather my thoughts." I paused and thought. How could I put this? I exhaled audibly. "I told you that I was banished and that my father mocked me, saying I could only come back if I had the Avatar. I didn't tell you why I got banished." I paused. I had rolled to face Katara and she had done the same to me and I had to push the awareness that my face was naught two feet from hers from my mind before I continued. "I was barely thirteen when my father invited me to a war meeting with all the generals, my Uncle included. Azula, my sister who is two years younger than me, had been to a few already because she was a firebending prodigy. But this was the first time that I had gone to one. I was arrogant and excited. I arrived only slightly late and sat quietly while the generals discussed battle tactics with my father. And then one of the generals stood and produced his plan for my father to approve." I closed my eyes and sighed before continuing. "But his plan was different from all the others.

"He was my father's favorite general, so I was shocked to hear what he was proposing. He was telling my father that his plan was to send in the untrained foot soldiers to be slaughtered as a distraction so that the better trained warriors could take the enemy by surprise. Naturally, I spoke out against this. I told him that they were human beings, not just suits of armor, and that he couldn't just pawn off their lives like that. He laughed at me at first but a few of the other generals were looking like they agreed so he began to defend his plan. And then I challenged him to an Agni Kai and he accepted. He was an old man that hadn't seen battle in years and I knew I could have taken him. And I would have.

"But the day of the duel I was ready to fight when my opponent was revealed. Instead of the general, I would be fighting my father." I was glad I had my eyes shut; I could practically see the horror and pity on Katara's face that matched the gasp she let loose. But practically seeing it is definitely better than actually seeing it. "I begged his forgiveness. He yelled at me to get up and to fight him for my honor but I refused. I kept on refusing until he grew so angry that his fists were flaming. I was crying and begging him to forgive me, I hadn't meant to disrespect him… and then he burned me. He told me that I would 'never forget the lesson he taught me this way'. Although now, I am certain that there was no lesson learned that day; except maybe one: my father doesn't love me. He doesn't love Azula or even his own brother. Not anymore, anyways; he did once, a long time ago, but no longer."

I refused to open my eyes. I could hear the hitched breathing of Katara and I knew she was crying. This was the part I hated, the pity. I had only told two others the story- Mai and Ty Lee- and they had both looked at me with that combination of horror and pity… but then she laid her hand on my scar and my eyes shot open.

She wasn't looking at me with horror or pity. I could see compassion and something else, but no horror or pity. I was confused. "Katara?"

"Zuko… I am so proud of you." The other emotion in her eyes was identified: pride. But her words only confused me that much more.

"What? Katara, why would you be proud? I was shamed in front of a military audience by my own father! And then I was cast out!"

"But Zuko, don't you see? You spoke for what you believed in! You were prepared to fight for what was right- what IS right! You are probably one of the most amazing, compassionate people I have ever met and no one even n=knows! Not even you!" she huffed and then went right back to her rant. "In fact, I can only name two- _maybe _three- people who can see the real you; me, your Uncle, and maybe your Mother. I don't know enough about her to speak her opinion, but your Uncle and I are two that I am certain of and it physically pains me that I can't think of anyone else."

"But, Katara…" I protested. "I am not a good person." Katara sat p and put her hands on her hips. I sat up as well and faced her.

"ZUKO! BY TUI AND LA, LISTEN TO ME! You are an amazing person! Spirits, you are my _savior_- as dramatic as that sounds- and I cannot believe you are arguing with me about this! If it wasn't for you…" she got quiet suddenly and I suddenly understood. "If it wasn't for you, I would still be on that ship. I would be chained to a lumpy mattress and…" she couldn't finish her thought because the tears had come so quickly. I gathered her in my arms gently, mindful of her almost healed- but still sore- injuries. Her voice cracked and was muffled a little by my shoulder when she spoke again. "Zuko, our lives might be pretend right now, but at this moment, you are the only being on this earth I trust without question. I don't even trust Aang as much as I trust you. But I need you to trust me when I tell you this: I forgive you. Everything that you have done wrong in the past- it is all forgotten. You are an amazing person, Zuko. Never forget this."

And I never would. We held each other well into the night, saying nothing. We were content to just _be._ And that is how it should always end.

**AN: okay! So I know I said that I would finish "The Painted Lady" but come on! I am so not ready to have my Zutara join reality yet. Or to split them up. So I guess this story is going to be longer than I intended. Oh well. I'll probably have another chapter up tomorrow. I'm not sure though so don't hold your breath! Review! (Hot, sexy Zuko hugs to all who review!)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Blue Painted Scars**

**AN: AWWWW YEAH! Another chapter! I have really grown to love this story and I can't wait to write more! Oh, also! I am getting a new car! Brilliant!**

**Chapter Four**

**-Katara's POV-**

Zuko and I walked around town the day after we had dinner with Kuzo and his family for the first time. And I was horrified. The factory had polluted so much and so many people were sick! Zuko had to pull me aside when I started getting riotously angry.

"Katara," he breathed as he held my shoulders gently. "Katara, look at me." I met his gaze warily, still pouting and angry. He sighed. "I know. It makes me sad and I feel sick to my stomach but I have to keep thinking: f we make it through this war, I will be Fire Lord. This factory and all the others like it will be shut down until I can find a cleaner way to run them. I am going to enlist water and earthbenders to clean up areas like this one and this community with thrive once more."

And so I left it alone… but I still wasn't happy. I was downright appalled at some of the things- villagers forced to eat two headed fish from the polluted river, families having to walk two miles upstream beyond the factory to get fresh-ish water, things like that. But I left it alone. Zuko had to leave on the hunting/foraging trip with "Cod" and I didn't try to stop him. Fresh meat and fruit was exactly what this town needed. I waved my "fiancée" off and clutched my new betrothal necklace. I was nearly healed but after asking around I realized that there were no jobs available except for a healer, and I couldn't do that without revealing my waterbending.

It was by chance that the second day Zuko was gone I had to head into the market for new bandages. I was still timid around others without Zuko but I purchased the gauze without incident and was about to turn away when I saw an old man whittling a little statuette. I was curious but still war so I approached him cautiously and stood a few feet away.

"Who is that supposed to be?" I asked. The old man looked up and smiled kindly.

"This is the Painted Lady. She's the river spirit around here. Legend says that she will come to heal our sick and give us clean water. The factory waste seems to have dampened her powers, so I decided that if I made these," he gestured to the figures around him. "She will be remembered and be able to come to us." I nodded and thanked the man, purchasing a small figure for two copper pieces and returning home in thought.

That night I bound my wounds tightly. Earlier I had foraged in the dumpsters and found a usable wide brimmed hat with mesh netting and a tattered robe. I put half my hair into a topknot and left the rest down. Then I took some paint that I borrowed from Kuzo and painted my face before donning the hat and robe. I used my waterbending to help me cross the river into the quarantined area. I took the clean healing water from my water skin under my robe and began to heal the sleeping villagers. I healed three or four adults before I grew weary. As I was finishing my last one, the one I had healed earlier woke up slightly. I froze until I remembered that I was wearing a disguise. The man sat up on his elbows.

"The Painted Lady?" he gasped. I did my best to look regal and mysterious as I finished healing the woman and turned to face him.

"Thank you for your prayers," I told him in a voice that was not my own. I was about to panic when a calming presence forced its way over me. I smiled at the man and put my hand on his forehead. "Sleep well, my child, and you shall be well in the morning."

I left the quarantined area and got back to my hut in record time. The calming presence had left me and I was freaking out. But my bending had taken a lot out of me and almost as soon as I finished undressing and washing my face, I fell asleep.

And I dreamed.

"_Child? My child, wake up." I opened my eyes to find myself in an unfamiliar swamp area, alone. "My Katara, come and find me. Follow my voice." I stood and listened. "Katara," the voice came again. I started towards it and found myself in a clearing with mossy ground and vines everywhere._

"_Hello?" I asked cautiously. The air shimmered and The Painted Lady appeared in front of me, almost completely see-through. I gaped._

"_Katara, thank you for joining me,"_

"_Is this a dream?"_

"_No, my dear one, your body is in a meditative state. This is the spirit world, but I am still weak so we must be quick." She sat lotus style and I did the same across from her. "Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, I have chosen you."_

"_Chosen me for what?" I asked, confused._

"_Every 100 years, spirits have t assume a mortal form- an incarnate, if you will. Some spirits simply choose an animal, like Koh, or a plant of some sort. Very few choose humans. But I have seen what the evil incarnates are doing. My lover and I have chosen to take the forms of two that are destined to be together. My lover has chosen Zuko, and you are the prince's destined mate. But I did not choose you simply because of that. I chose you because of who you are. You are compassionate and kind, but also impassioned and stubborn. But most of all, you never give up hope. And so I brought you here to ask you if you will have me. By accepting me into your form you will not only gain my powers and healing knowledge but also my regenerative abilities and dexterity. Every cut you receive will be gone in a matter of minutes and you will be more flexible and physically powerful than ever. But you will be obligated to help others even at an inconvenience to yourself and will be very sick and sore for the first week while your body adapts and grows."_

_I was silent and her image flickered for a moment. It was a lot to take in. First; she tells me that I am Zuko's destined mate. Then she tells me that she wants me to be her human incarnate. And then she tells me that the things I could gain from accepting are things that would be vital in defeating the Fire Lord. And so there really was not another answer._

"_I accept." The Painted Lady smiled and stood, I did the same. She bowed to me and again I mirrored her. And then she came towards me and kissed me on the forehead. The mark burned and I awoke._

I lay in my bed, panting and shivering. My muscles ached and I had growing pains in every limb. But at the same time, I felt wonderful. I walked out of the bed carefully and went to the washroom. I relieved myself and washed up a bit more, I had broken out in a cold sweat. I removed my bandages and saw (and felt) that all my wounds had healed; the burns and lashes leaving raised scars but fully healed. I smiled sort of morbidly- now Zuko and I both had scars. I grabbed a glass of clean water from one of the buckets that Zuko had retrieved from upstream and went back to bed. I slept fitfully and was feverish all the next day. This continued on and Kuzo's wife, Leila, came over to tend t me in the absence of my "fiancée". But then came the day Zuko arrived. He was sick as well but he and Cod had brought back several nets of healthy fish and a few moose-lion to be made into jerky. They also had several barrels of fresh fruit, some to be dried and kept and the rest to be sol immediately.

Zuko was put into bed next to me. Leila commented on how strange it was that we had the same symptoms but we had been so far apart. Zuko and I exchanged a glance but said nothing, simply eating the fish stew she had given us and thanking her.

After she left, I rolled to face him. He did the same and for a long time, neither of us said anything.

"So… the Painted Lady?" he asked, the side of his moth quirking upwards. I laughed.

"This is so surreal." He nodded in agreement. "But I don't regret accepting her offer. She is me and I am her… together we may win this war." Zuko nodded.

"The Blue Spirit chose me." He said, shaking his head as if he didn't quite believe it. I was momentarily shocked- the Painted Lady hadn't told me that her lover was the Blue Spirit! But then I thought about it and it sort of made sense. "He chose my form and I accepted and now I am an incarnate," I grinned.

"We should form a support group. Incarnates Anonymous," he laughed and I joined in. our eyes met as the laughter died and he cleared his throat.

"So… um, I know they said we're destined mates but you don't have to feel obligated to, uh… you know, like me or anything." He rolled onto his back and I could barely make out his blush. I was momentarily disappointed. Didn't he like me? Was he upset that we were 'destined' to be together? But then he spoke again. "But… do you? Like me, that is? Because… because I, um…" his voice became nearly inaudible. "I like you…"

I propped myself up on my elbow and smile down at him, placing my free hand over his scar. "I like you too," I admitted in a whisper. He grinned up at me and on an impulse I leaned down. He leaned up.

Our lips met in an explosion of feeling. The kiss itself was nothing special, a brush of lips and an intermingled sigh of happiness. But the feelings exploded- lust and love, compassion and hope. It was like everything good in life passed between us in that moment and I was instantly aroused. I pulled away to see that Zuko's eyes were dark and he met my gaze with heat and passion is his own. I blushed.

"Wow," I breathed, dropping my eyes in a fit of shyness. He sighed.

"Yeah, wow," he grinned and rolled onto his side, pulling me into his embrace. "We have to do that again sometime when we are not sick." I giggled and nodded into his shoulder in agreement. I shifted and turned so that my back was towards him and he pulled me close, laying an arm over my abdomen. I could feel is hot breath on my neck and shivered, involuntarily wiggling against him and he groaned. "Be careful," e warned.

"What?" I was confused. Suddenly he pressed his pelvis into my butt and I felt what he meant. I blushed furiously. "Oh… sorry." I was secretly proud that I could get such a reaction from hi and he groaned.

"It's not your fault… well, yes it is but don't apologize. I'll live." I nodded and he put some distance between us again. We fell asleep in each other's arms for the second time of many.

-Zuko's POV-

The next day I awoke with the sun, as always. Katara was still curled in my arms and I sighed happily, cuddling her sleeping form and breathing in the scent of her hair. It smelled like lilies and the outdoors just after an overnight frost and sweet petrichor all at once. It was so unbelievably Katara and I couldn't get enough. She stirred awake a half an hour later and I was still holding her. She yawned and rolled to face me, leaning up and pecking a kiss onto my jaw.

"Good morning," she greeted. I pulled back slightly and tilted my head down to capture her lips. Our kiss last night had been an intense explosion of pent up feelings but this one was sweet, slow, and slightly drowsy. Neither kiss was better than the other, they both made me feel such incredible love for the waterbender in my arms.

"Good morning, beautiful." I smiled as we broke apart and she blushed. I was aware at how cheesy I was being but I was too giddy to care. I shifted reluctantly, sitting up slowly. My muscles ached and protested but I trekked across the room and retrieved two glasses of water and two mangoes. I sat down next to her and she propped herself up to sit as well. We ate in comfortable silence and then we lay down again.

"I feel much better today, don't you?" I thought about it. Come to think of it, my growing pains had all but stopped.

"Yeah," I nodded. "My muscles still hurt but I don't have that feverish feeling anymore, or the growing pains." She nodded.

"Same here," we both sighed, happy this was almost over.

For the next couple of days we stayed in bed. Leila was pleased at our progress and came to give us lunch and dinner every day. On my fourth day back, she gave us a clean bill of health but warned us t take it easy.

I felt fantastic. I was in the best shape of my life- the inhuman strength from being an incarnate was definitely one of my favorite perks. Katara seemed to like the healing knowledge the most, gathering all sorts of exotic herbs and drying them up for later usage. She told me that she couldn't heal scars, though, because they were a part of one's self once they healed. And she still could not heal herself but with her accelerated regenerative abilities, that wasn't a problem. I also had regenerative abilities and knowledge from the Blue Spirit, but the knowledge was not directly of the healing nature. I gained knowledge of meditation and of weapons. I could now wield not only the Dao swords but twenty three other kinds of weapon, including the bow and arrow. And my knowledge of meditation was helpful because I could now control all my emotions and think around them in dire situations.

But as a result of this, my firebending weakened. Katara told me it was probably just a phase because I had been basing my ability to bend on my rage and now I had no more rage to base it upon. I agreed with her, but it still bothered me. I tried to keep it in my head that it was a good thing I hadn't lost it completely. But it still bothered me. And so I ignored it. It wasn't as if I had much use for my firebending in the river village anyways.

Every night, Katara and I would dress up as our patron spirits and head around the town. I would go out and hunt for food, leaving it in the main square for the villagers every morning. Katara would go around healing everyone, leaving tea infusions for the ill and healing the infections and wounds with her waterbending. We made an amazing team, but nothing we did stopped the factory from polluting the river and ultimately causing all the problems. We would walk around town with pride during the day because we had given the people hope, but at the end of the day they still didn't have clean water. We had talked about destroying the factory, but I pointed out that if we did so the villagers would be blamed and tortured for it by the my father's soldiers.

And so, the night before my Uncle was scheduled to arrive, we put our Plan B into action. Katara trekked upstream beyond the factory and used her water to carve out an alternate path for the water flow. She carved it about two feet deep for the whole two miles and curved it around the town, directing it back into the polluted river. I caught three full grown moose-lion, stripped them down, and hung their meat over a fire in the town square for jerky, leaving the livers and other edible parts under a sheet as always. If nothing else, we left them with meat for the winter and clean water.

And then my Uncle trekked into town, riding an ostrich-horse and pulling another one behind him. I thanked Agni that he was wearing clean clothes and freshly bathed. He looked the part of my rich Uncle and I knew he would certainly approve of Katara and my "engagement". I met him in the same village square that I had left the jerky in the night before. Katara and I were packed and ready to go but she hung back to let me speak with him.

"Uncle," I greeted him neutrally. "Thank you for coming. You know how much I appreciate you doing this for my fiancée and me." Uncle looked confused so I shot him a wink. He smiled.

"Yes, nephew. I am glad to help," he said jovially. "Where is the beautiful young lady?" Katara stepped forward and grabbed my hand. I pecked her cheek and she blushed. Uncle _beamed_, recognizing her at once. "I am so happy to finally meet you!"

"Thank you, I am also pleased." Katara bowed slightly. "Lee has told me of your kindness," she gestured to me, furtively giving Uncle my fake name.

"He's a good boy, my Lee," Uncle nodded. "Don't you go and break his heart now," he teased. Katara responded seriously.

"I won't." I smiled down at her and she returned it. Kuzo and Leila stepped forward, their daughter Maika just behind them, sucking her thumb. Katara smiled down at the little girl and I felt a strange pang of longing. Kuzo offered his hand for Uncle to shake.

"It is good to finally meet you. May I just say that I really admire what you are doing for those two? They are obviously in love and there aren't enough people willing to defend that nowadays. My own parents didn't approve of my marriage to my beautiful Leila here and I wish that I had been fortunate enough to have an understanding uncle like you to help us out in the early days." Uncle Iroh simply smiled and shook his hand. Then he turned to us.

"Are you two ready to leave?" We nodded and he climbed onto his ostrich-horse. I shook Kuzo and "Cod/Dock's" hand and gave Leila a hug. Katara gave Kuzo and Leila hugs and then I climbed onto the empty ostrich-horse, offering my hand to my "fiancée" to help her up. She slung our bags over its saddle before taking my hand and pulling herself up, looping her arms around my waist. We wave one last time before galloping out of there, Uncle was right behind us. We didn't slow down until we were deep into the woods. Uncle trotted up next to us.

"So…" he grinned. "How did all this happen?" I sighed and prepared myself for the long explanation.


	5. Chapter 5

**Blue Painted Scars**

**AN: Miz Celestia brought up a spectacular point about my version of the waterbender healing. She asked why Katara couldn't heal herself in my story if she discovered the ability by healing herself in the show. Since I couldn't PM her back I decided to answer publicly, just in case anyone else was wondering.**

**My answer is sort of two-fold: first, my story is slightly AU and I have changed some things, one of them being that Katara discovered her ability by accidentally healing an overzealous Aang in the same episode with Jeong-Jeong. The second part of my answer is that I needed her to be bedridden for the purpose of the plot and for a scene/discovery that I will be putting in later.**

**I hope that clears things up and thanks for asking! Thanks to everyone else who reviewed, it really helps keep me going. **** And just in case anyone was wondering: I now have a job as a nanny Wednesday through Friday so I will probably not update on these days. **

**Chapter Five**

-Katara's POV-

I clung to Zuko's waist as he explained our current situation to his Uncle. The gentle bouncing of the ostrich-horse combined with my already drowsy state from all the bending the night before eventually put me to sleep. I woke some time later, still slumped against Zuko's back. Iroh was shaking my shoulder gently.

"Master Katara, you must wake now. We are nearly at the refugee ferry camp." I woke and yawned.

"Where are we going?" I asked in my sleep-husked voice. Zuko responded with a soft chuckle.

"Uncle found a ferry that takes refugees to Ba Sing Sei. We're going to hitch a ride on it and blend in with the lower rings o the city…" he paused for a long time and then continued. "…and there have been rumors… rumors that the Avatar and his earthbending teacher are heading towards the city to visit with the Earth King." My heart stopped beating and then picked up double-time.

"Sokka…" I breathed, suddenly ten times more excited. Zuko sighed and I felt slightly bad but couldn't contain my excitement. I was going to get to see my brother again!

We took a break to change into some Earth Kingdom clothing. Luckily, the male and female clothes were very similar so I was able to wear an extra outfit of Zuko's that Iroh had acquired. It was slightly too big but it sufficed. We kept travelling and soon reached the refugee camps just as the ex-Fire Nation General had said we would. We found a man that forged us three fake passports and Iroh paid him gratuitously. We had to wait in a line for a few days, but before I knew it, I was on my way to Ba Sing Sei, curled up next to Zuko. The cabin was empty except for us, Iroh had left t find some decent tea.

Zuko and I lie on the bed, exchanging soft kisses. As much as I didn't want too, I broke apart from him and sighed.

"Zuko… what's going to happen to us? I mean… after I get back to Sokka, Toph, and Aang." Zuko cradled me into his chest, placing his chin on top of my head.

"Katara… I really like you. I may even… love you. But I will let you go if you wish it. Our lives… they're so different. And sometimes…" he struggled to finish his sentence.

"Sometimes it's better to just go with the flow, rather than fight it?" he sighed and pulled back to look me in the eyes.

"Yes. And I believe that someday… our paths will cross again." I sighed and nodded. "And Katara… I am the Blue Spirit incarnate. You are the human incarnate of the Painted Lady. They chose us because we are destined to be together." All my doubts and worries floated downstream and I smiled at him, hopeful once more.

"You're right. Sometimes, I almost forget…" it seemed like forever since the last time we had gone gallivanting into the night to help those in need. "When we get to Ba Sing Sei… I will leave. No need for goodbyes, right?" I looked to him for reassurance and he half smiled. I could see the longing in his eyes and it mirrored my own.

"Okay… and I will find you, when this is all over with." He blew his growing bangs out of his eyes and hugged me tighter, dipping his head down for a kiss, which I gladly returned.

We may not have said the actual words, but we said our farewells through touches and kisses that night. Iroh was suspiciously absent until we were both sound asleep. The next morning we all grabbed our things in silence. Iroh gave me a hug and we boarded separate earthbending carts. I allowed a single tear to fall as I removed my red banded betrothal necklace and replaced it with my mother's, gazing at the beautifully carved promise in my hand.

_~FLASHBACK~_

_Zuko kissed my cheek and buried his face into my neck. His hot breath caused me to shiver. And then he spoke. "Katara… this necklace…" he brought his hand up to touch the silken band. "Don't lose it. I am making it my… promise to you. I promise that one day I will make you mine. Maybe not this year or the next but I promise that it will be one day. I will wait for you…"_

"_And I will wait for you," I sniffed at the emotions that had slowly crept up on me as he spoke. "Always, Zuko,"_

"_I'll… I'll understand if you find someone else-"_

"_No." I cut him off decisively. "There is no one but you, Zuko. I will wait until my dying day if necessary. I… I love you."_

"_I love you too… always." And then he kissed me._

_~FLASHBACK~_

After a moment, I decided to wrap Zuko's necklace around my wrist as I had with my mother's before. The cart let me out just inside the wall of the city and I saw the tell tale floating orange and yellow blob at the top. _That can't be anyone but Aang._

I bended the water out of a nearby pond and used it to form a sort of cyclone to carry me to the top of the wall. When I reached the top I saw Toph, Aang, and my brother crowded around the desk of an Earth Kingdom general.

"…but your help is not needed." The general was saying.

"Not needed?! General Sung…" the general held up a hand to ward off further protests.

"Not needed, I have already sent an elite team of earthbenders called the Terra Team to stop the Fire Nation drill." I could see a barrage of Fire Nation vehicles approaching the wall and suddenly understood what they were arguing about. Just as he finished speaking, I saw many clouds of dust and heard a few distant screams. "They FAILED! WE'RE DOOMED!" General Sung panicked. I rolled my eyes as Sokka slapped him across the face.

"Get a hold of yourself, man!" he ordered sternly.

"You're right…" the general rubbed his cheek. "I'm sorry." Toph spoke up and I wondered why she hadn't sensed me yet.

"Do you want the Avatar's help _now_?" she asked sarcastically.

"Yes, please." He said sheepishly.

"Okay so… how are we going to stop that thing?" Aang want into full brainstorming mode and he and Toph looked at Sokka. I decided to speak up then, a small smile on my face.

"WE take it down from the inside." Everyone turned o face me. There was a silence.

"Katara! SISTER!" Sokka cried dramatically, running over to hug me. I stiffened and relaxed quickly. This was ridiculous. Sokka was my brother, not a rapist. But it was my natural reaction whenever a man touched me without my permission. When Zuko and I had left Jang Hui I had to use all my willpower to hug Kuzo goodbye, despite knowing that he was not going to harm me. Aang, thankfully, made no attempt to hug me but grinned widely at me over Sokka's shoulder. Toph punched my shoulder.

"Sugar Queen, want to explain why I couldn't feel you until you spoke?" I furrowed my brow and Sokka pulled back to look at Toph in confusion.

"What?"

"Never mind that," Aang sighed. "I hate to break this up but we still have to take out the drill. Katara, what's your plan?" and as I explained my tactics, I couldn't help but feel happy despite everything. I was back with my family. Even so, I missed Zuko. And that was okay- I would rather endure the pain of missing him than the pain of loss.

-Zuko's POV-

Uncle and I had settled in to the lower ring. It wasn't much but it was definitely better than being fugitives on the road. Uncle had brought some flowers to brighten up the grungy apartment. I acted exasperated, but secretly I was grateful. The flowers were red with blue centers. They reminded me of myself and Katara in that bittersweet sort of way. We got jobs at a local tea shop and right away Uncle began making changes, muttering about "hot leaf juice" and "not even decent bathwater".

I was glad to have him in that moment. He took my mind off of Katara and made me realize that even though I missed my love, I needed to go on with life or else have it leave me behind. And I was determined for it not to leave me behind. Word reached us of how the Avatar and his friends took down a Fire Nation drill attempting to penetrate the city's outer wall, I was inexplicably glad. My mood improved exponentially and I worked with a new vigor. And then the men from the upper ring came to offer Uncle his own tea shop for the high society peoples. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity and Uncle took it without hesitation.

And then Toph Bei Fong walked into our shop. Katara had told me that the girl was blind and how she used her earthbending to "see". But I was still surprised when she recognized Uncle instantly.

**AN: HEHEHE! What will happen? Will Toph expose them and they get captured by Long Feng? Or will she have tea with them and learn the story? Who knows?**

**Oh that's right… ME! *cackles evilly* **

**Okay, I'm done. I'll probably update tomorrow or maybe Monday but definitely soon. Please review and tell your friends and stuff if you like the story! I really appreciate your feedback!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Blue Painted Scars**

**Chapter Six**

**-Zuko's POV-**

I froze when Toph greeted Uncle with a smile and completely ignored me. I was confused at first, but after she turned and almost ran into me (I had to jump out of the way) it became apparent that she couldn't see me. Uncle shot me a confused look but I just shrugged. What was it Katara always said? "Never look a polar bear-dog in the mouth"? Either way, I remained silent and walked into the back of the shop. Uncle came back after a minute to get Toph's tea and I asked him why he thought the blind earthbender couldn't see me.

"I have a theory my nephew. I shall speak with you after closing time." I nodded, accepting this. Closing time was not very far away, anyhow. I waited patiently in the kitchen, helping make the orders but carefully remaining on the wood floor we had installed in the kitchen, just in case. After Toph left, I helped Uncle clean up the shop. We returned to our flat and sat down at the kitchen table.

"There is a legend…" Uncle began slowly. "…a legend of the two future rulers of the Fire Nation. It has become but a bedtime story because it was prophesized so long ago but never fulfilled. The legend is of two spirit incarnates that are invisible to those who they do not wish to see. The spirit incarnates were chosen because of their destined love and compelled to help those around them. The legend foretold that the couple would unite the Four Elements and give birth to the second living Avatar with a cycle antithesis of the original so that the balance is kept. Ever since you told me what had happened in my absence I have suspected… but now I believe that the prophecy is rue without a doubt. Because when the young earthbender walked in it wasn't just her who could not see you. It seemed to me that you had turned invisible until she almost ran into you."

"I…was invisible? I vanished?" I was stunned. "What?"

"That is what I saw, Prince Zuko. But I am an old man, and it is likely that I am mistaken." He yawned loudly. "It is time for me to retire. You should sleep as well. I have a feeling it will be a big day tomorrow." He walked into his chambers and shut the door. I did not follow his example, too lost in thought. When I did move I went into the hall closet and lifted up the clean linens, taking my Blue Spirit mask and tight black cotton outfit out and putting them on. I grabbed my Dao swords and left into the darkness.

It wasn't long until I found a girl being surrounded by six or seven drunken men. I sliced their claves efficiently and silently, still thinking about what Uncle had said. I came across some thieves attempting to rob a woodshop in the middle ring and stopped them with a few knife slashes as well. A few more crimes were foiled by the time I was done thinking.

I decided that I would just give up and let life guide me. If the opportunity to help the Avatar arose, I would take it. I had been absorbed with finding a way to capture him and restore my honor, but what was honorable about sending a good man to his death? Especially if I was to have a son or daughter that would have the same powers as he! It would be a coward's move; I had been trekking the path of a hypocrite and I had not even known it. And if there was one thing I disliked, it was hypocrites.

I refused to become something I hated and so I would change my path. _Starting tomorrow,_ I decided, stifling a yawn under my mask. I crept through the rings of the city with ease and slipped through my bedroom window. I shed my spirit garb and sent a prayer up to Agni of thanks for his hand in shifting my destiny. I meditated until I could feel the warm presence of the Blue Spirit in my core and was gratified to feel that he was happy with my choices. I fell asleep not long afterwards.

-Katara's POV-

I hadn't told the rest of the gang what happened between Zuko and me. In fact, I hadn't given them very many details at all. I missed him constantly and I preferred not to talk about it. To my relief, they didn't press the issue. They told me what had happened in my absence and I laughed at their adventures. I was sad to hear about Appa though, and I threw myself into the search for the air bison. Every night, I would don my Painted Lady 'costume' and sneak around the rings of the city; finding crimes and foiling them, distributing food to the ones in need, but most of all keeping an eye out for Appa. I never saw Zuko in my rounds, but I could feel him when he was close. I assume he felt my presence as well but decided, as I had, that I would be too painful to see each other until our paths were running together again.

And so I never sought him out. I started to notice other things, though. One morning I was sneaking food from the kitchen and Toph walked in for a glass of water. I had frozen in my tracks, praying that she wouldn't catch me. I had to dodge out of the way when she almost plowed me over. And another time, I had been drying off after bathing when Sokka walked in to shave. He didn't even see me standing there in my towel.

And so I began to experiment. I meditated in my room for an hour before walking out. To my delight and slight horror, no one could see me. It was as if I was a spirit walking on a parallel plane to them. The only one who looked as if he might have seen me was Aang, and his eyes only searched the area where I was standing for a moment before sliding right over me. I decided that he probably felt my presence because he was the Avatar and that no one else saw me because I was the Painted Lady incarnate and this 'invisibility' was one of the abilities of a spirit.

And then Jet showed up. I was helping the others hang up "Lost" posters for Appa when he found me.

"Katara?" I whirled and gasped, just barely keeping myself visible. I didn't want to see him or talk to him! He saw the poster I had just hung up.

"Katara, I think I can help you!" I grew angry and bended some water from a nearby fountain and created wave to push him back a few feet. "Katara, I've changed!" he sputtered. I rolled my eyes and bended the remaining water into ice to secure him to the wall. He broke through it with his swords, which only made me angrier. "I don't want to fight you, I am here to help!" he threw down his swords. I growled and fired ice daggers at him, pinning him to the wall once more. He didn't struggle and Sokka and the others approached.

"Katara! What is it?" Sokka asked as they ran towards me. I gestured to the male across from me.

"Jet's back," I turned to the rest of the group. "We can't trust anything he says."

"But we don't even know why he's here," Sokka protested. I got angrier- how could he defend the murderer?

"I don't care why he's here! Whatever his reason is, it can't be good!"

"I can help you find Appa!" Jet broke in, struggling to reach something and coming out with a missing Appa poster. Aang looked at him hopefully.

"Katara, we have to give him a chance…"

"I swear, I have changed! I let my anger get the better of me but it's all in the past! I don't even have a gang now, the Freedom Fighters have disbanded."

"You're lying," I growled.

"He's not," Toph broke in. I turned to face her.

"How do you know?"

"I can feel his breathing and his heartbeat. When people lie, there is a physical reaction. He's telling the truth." I nodded but remained wary.

"Katara," Aang spoke up, "We don't have any leads. If Jet says he can take us to Appa, we have to check it out," I reluctantly melted the ice that pinned him to the wall.

"Alright… but we're not letting you out of our sight." Jet led us to an abandoned warehouse. I was instantly wary.

"This is the place I heard about," he told us. I readied a water attack.

"If this is a trap…"

"He was here!" Toph cut me off. I looked to see that she was holding up a fistful of familiar white fur. Aang looked disheartened.

"We missed him," he sighed. I walked over and put a hand on his shoulder. A voice startled us all.

"They took that big thing yesterday," we all spun to see an old man with a broom standing in the doorway. "Shipped him out to some island. About time, I have been cleaning up fur and various… leavings all day." Aang ran forward.

"What island? Where's Appa?!" The old man shrugged.

"Foreman said some rich, royal type bought him p from Whale Tail Island. Probably for a zoo or such. Though, it could be for the meat." Aang paled and ran to Sokka, who already had a map out.

"Where's Whale Tail Island?" Sokka shook his head sadly.

"Far." Aang took a deep breath.

"Well, we have to try." He said determinedly.

"You're right, Aang," I spoke up in comfort as the old man waddled away. "Our first priority is finding Appa. We can come back when we have him." it pained me to say this because it meant leaving Zuko behind, but it was all for the best, I supposed. We all rode the train back into the city and got off in silence. A small, familiar voice greeted us.

"Jet!" the crowd parted and Smellerbee and Longshot came through. Smellerbee hugged Jet around the waist. I was suddenly angry.

"I thought you said you didn't have your gang with you?" Jet looked horribly confused.

"I don't!" Smellerbee ignored us.

"We were so worried! How did you get away from the Dai Li?" she asked, releasing him from her embrace.

"The Dai Li?" I asked, smelling something suspicious.

"I don't know what she's talking about!"

"He got arrested by the Dai Li a few days ago! We saw them drag him away," Longshot gave a nod of confirmation.

"Why would I be arrested? I have been living peacefully in the city." Jet insisted. Toph had her face all scrunched up as she squatted to place her hands on the ground.

"This doesn't make sense. They are both telling the truth." She stated.

"That's impossible," I scoffed. Sokka shook his head.

"No, its not. Toph can't tell who is lying because they both think they are telling the truth. Jet has been brainwashed!"

**AN: DUN, DUN, AND DUUUN! Lol, just kidding, we all know what happens next. But you guys are awesome, keep up the reviews, favorites, follows, and such! Also, if you are a fan of General Iroh II and Korra, you should check out my collection of drabbles I am putting together called "Drop of Fire". Love you all! **

**-Dove**


	7. Chapter 7

**Blue Painted Scars**

**AN: Okay, don't kill me! I have undertaken two new projects (Drop of Fire and Amor EO Reino Máxico) and am swamped with writing. Don't fret, I have written a chapter that I think you'll like… especially the ending… ;) **

**Chapter Seven**

Katara's POV

I needed a hug. Not just any hug, though, a Zuko hug. Jet was giving me a look and I was really struggling not to scream at him to stop looking at me like that. It was like he wanted to lick his way up and down my body, a look of pure lust. Thinking back, I think that he always looked at me like that, but I was too young and naive to recognize it before now.

It was bringing back the worst memories, though. Memories of my capture and the boat… and of the men… the mattress…

I shook myself away from those thoughts. Jet may be an ass but he would never do those things. Aang was convinced that Jet was sent by the Dai Li to divert us and insisted that we find a way to cure Jet's brainwashing. I used healing water to clear his mind and Jet had told us that the Dai Li had a secret underground base under Lake Laogai and so we all headed down to the lake.

"So where is this secret headquarters?" Sokka asked. I frowned, my thoughts on other things. I could feel Zuko again, but this time it was somehow clearer, more distinct.

"Under water, I think," Jet answered, walking closer to me. He put his hand on my shoulder and I bit back a scream as I jerked away from him, walking over to stand on the other side of Sokka.

"There is a tunnel right there by the shore," Toph confirmed, crouching down to touch the rocky shore. She stomped her foot and a dry pathway appeared, leading straight to a manhole about ten meters out into the lake. We walked down path and down the tunnel ladder.

As we crept about the secret base, we saw some strange things. There was a Dai Li agent brainwashing a bunch of poor tour agents and a lot of other things I would rather not mention. Most disturbingly, there was some sort of lab where several cadavers were lined up, pieces of them missing and some cut open like science experiments. We left that room in a hurry, and I buried my head in Sokka's chest. Once again I wished for a hug from Zuko, perhaps a few hushed murmurs of comfort… We grew greener and more horrified as we got farther and farther into the establishment.

"As soon as we find Appa and talk to the Earth King, we're going to stop this," Aang stated firmly. We all nodded in agreement, even Jet. The further we walked, the more I could feel Zuko. I quietly panicked- did the Dai Li have Zuko?

"I think there is an Appa sized cell up ahead," Jet interrupted my thoughts. We nodded and crept forward. As Jet opened the door, my senses were going wild. Something wasn't right. Before I could do anything, a hand came out from the shadows and grabbed my mouth, an arm coming around me and pulling me into a cranny in the wall. Before I could scream, I saw the mask of the Blue Spirit and felt the familiar presence engulf my senses.

In front of me, Sokka, Toph, Aang, Jet, Smellerbee, and Longshot entered the room Jet had said was a holding cell. The lights flicked on and Dai Li agents dropped from the ceiling. I caught a glimpse of Long Feng and began struggling in Zuko's grasp, but he held fast.

"Katara," Zuko's voice whispered in my ear. "I know where Appa is. Let's rescue him and then come back for your brother and your friends." He reasoned. I stopped struggling and nodded. Zuko released me and I sucked in a quiet breath of air.

"Zuko," I breathed, turning to place my hand on his jaw, avoiding the mask. I heard a sigh and he leaned into my touch. I could hear Aang and the others fighting the agents and it brought me out of my reverie. Zuko and I separated and he waved me to follow him. We stepped over two unconscious agents that Toph had knocked out with her earthbending and continued on to a cell towards the center of the compound. We opened it and I saw Appa chained up with a large dish of water and a pile of hay. I looked up and saw a wire mesh ceiling and grinned.

"I'll unchain him, you cut through the mesh," Zuko said. I nodded and bended the water from the dish up to the mesh and began cutting it apart. I cut three sides and it fell open, attached by the one remaining side. I looked over to see that Zuko had taken out a needle-tipped dagger and picked the locks on Appa's chains. The bison licked me and I giggled. He was shaggier than usual, having gone several weeks without an air-combing from Aang. We climbed onto his back and I grinned.

"Yip-yip," Appa made a happy sound as he levitated into the air and out the hole I had cut in the mesh. We flew towards the city and saw, much to our surprise, that Aang, Sokka, and Toph fighting Dai Li agents on a nearby cliff. They were doing well, throwing several agents straight into the lake below, but they were clearly out numbered. I climbed onto Appa's head and turned his horns, forcing him into a circling decline. Aang looked up with Momo on his shoulder and saw us coming. I could hear him shout to the others and we landed precariously on the cliff beside them. Long Feng charged but before I could waterbend him, Appa reached out and bit his leg, flinging him into the lake below. Appa coughed and spit out a shoe.

"Yea, Appa!" Sokka yelled, sheathing his boomerang as he scrambled up beside me. Toph flung the six closest agents into the water and climbed onto the bison, and Aang simply airbended himself up next to me.

"Yip-yip," he said with a grin. And we took off. For a moment, we all flew in silence. And then Sokka spoke up.

"So…" he drawled. "Who's he?" he pointed to Zuko, who was still in his Blue Spirit garb. I smiled nervously.

"Um… about that…"

**AN: How is she going to explain this one? ;) Reviews are love!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Blue Painted Scars**

**A/N: DON'T KILL ME! I am so, so very sorry, my dears! This is way overdue and I can't apologize enough. I have been really busy lately with the summer musical that I was in and my new summer job! But here I am, writing you guys a new chapter, even if it is a bit (okay, a lot) late.**

**Chapter Eight**

**Zuko's POV**

"Um… about that…" Katara laughed nervously and I cringed behind my mask. We hadn't thought ahead to the actual explanation of my presence. Aang was staring at me with a look of knowing and apprehension. "That… is the man who saved me. He… he and I have a lot to tell you… but Sokka, please; can this wait until we've landed and made camp?" Sokka looked his little sister up and down, his gaze lingering on the tired rings beneath her eyes and nodded.

"Fine, but can't he at least take off his mask?" Katara and I shook our heads. "Why not?"

"Sokka, please?" Katara groaned, exasperated. Sokka pouted but remained silent. Aang, thankfully, was also quiet. And then Toph spoke up.

"So… going by all of that," she looked supremely irritated. "I am guessing that we have a mysterious masked man in the saddle with us that only Katara knows his true identity?" her sightless eyes glared into the air between Katara and Sokka.

"Oh, Toph! I am sorry, I sometimes forget that you cannot see on Appa," Katara apologized. "And yes, we have a guest… and Aang knows who he is as well. We will explain it better after we set up camp, I promise," she sighed and let her shoulders sag, unconsciously leaning into my side. I hesitantly wrapped my arm around her, not unaware of Sokka's piercing gaze that followed the movement. But again, the water tribe warrior remained mercifully silent.

We landed without incident in a wooded area about 20 kilometers from the outer wall of the city. The meager supplies that we had were unloaded and unpacked quickly and I gathered firewood and lit it without my bending. We all gathered around the fire in silence. And then Toph furrowed her brow and spoke.

"So where is the mystery man?" everyone looked confused and I remembered that I was cloaking my presence from her so that she would not find out my identity. Katara shot me a look which I understood- we had grown to be able to read each other easily during our stay in the river village- and I nodded; yes, I was purposely evading the blind earthbender's detection. She nodded back and spoke up to answer Toph.

"He's right here next to me… but you can't feel him unless he lets you. I will come to that explanation in a moment. First of all, I need to tell you what happened to me after I was captured." She took a few deep breaths and I wrapped my arm around her, squeezing her for support. She relaxed into me and began her story. "I was captured by some of the rookie sailors on General Zhao's ship- the same ship that Aang was on. But while Aang was taken to the center of the ship to be contained, I was taken into the standard dungeons. The men… they stripped me down and tied me to a mattress. At first, they started whipping me, asking me questions about Aang and our mission. I refused to answer them, even after what seemed like hours." Silent tears trailed down her face and Sokka made a choking noise in his throat. Aang looked horrified and Toph was unusually pale. "And so they… took me…"

"You don't mean…" Sokka's horrification spilled into his tone. Katara snuggled closer to me and nodded tentatively. I scanned over the other's faces to check their reactions. The male warrior's face was turning sickly green and furious red in a decidedly unattractive manner. Toph was whiter than the North Pole and looked really unstable. Aang had his eyes shut and seemed to be concentrating on keeping his breathing steady.

"They… they were just um… finishing when he crashed through the door. If he hadn't come… I don't know what they would have done. I nearly passed out in relief when he cut my bonds and wrapped me in a blanket. I remember clinging to his neck and the burn of salt water on my wounds but not much else… and when I awoke and saw who had saved me, I panicked. But then… he had dressed my wounds and saved me so when he woke up I decided to test him. I was nice to him and he was congenial in return… and then it became so much more." She paused and reached up to untie the back of my mask. Before she lifted it off my face, she turned back to her brother. "Sokka, please… don't freak out."

And then the mask was gone. Sokka, predictably, freaked out. I made sure to lift the cloaking on myself to that Toph could feel me and the young girl's face grew pensive.

"YOU!?" Sokka yelled, pointing his boomerang at my face as he leapt to his feet. Katara reached over and batted the weapon away from my face with a scowl, the drying tears still glistening on her cheeks.

"Sokka, calm down and let us explain the rest. You owe him that much." She reasoned.

"Owe him? Owe _him_? I don't…" he cut himself off when he looked at his sister's face and I relaxed only slightly when he sheathed his weapon and perched himself back on his log across the small fire.

"Thank you. Zuko, would you like to explain the rest?" I nodded and took a deep breath of my own before pulling her back into my side- she had drifted away during her spat with her brother. Aang's features were a strange mix of resignation and childish petulance and Toph remained pensive as I took up the story.

"My Uncle and I had split up and agreed to meet up in a Fire Nation village located nearby on a freshwater river. We made up fake names- I was Lee and she was Miki0 and a fake back story before trekking there and taking residence in one of the empty huts that the townspeople offered us. I got a job and faked my scar as a new one to go with the tale that we were attacked by pirates on our journey." I rasped out, doing my best to summarize the events after the rescue. I told them about the sickness and pollution and how whilst I was on a hunting trip with "Cod" I had been meditating and received a message from the spirit world. I told them about Katara and me being chosen to be spirit incarnates and our illnesses whilst our bodies adjusted.

"And then we took over guardianship of the village. Katara would dress up and heal the sick while I was hunting and foraging. I would leave prime cuts of meat and fresh fruit in the town square and occasionally Katara would help me haul fresh water in as well. And somewhere along the line… we became more than _just_ friends. We were already pretending to be fiancées so or newfound relationship just added to the façade…" I smiled as Katara leaned up to place a kiss on my jaw but continued, both of us ignoring the look on Sokka's face- I could only compare it to that of a person in the middle of a heart attack. "And then Uncle came or us. We heard rumor that the Avatar was going to Ba Sing Se and decided to go there under the guise of refugees. We agreed it would be best to go our separate ways and se left to meet up with you while Uncle and I secured jobs at a low-class tea shop, which Uncle refined to the point that a few investors in the upper ring took interest. Uncle opened his own tea shop and we lived in peace until I caught wind of the Dai Li and Appa.

"I decided that I wasn't going to hunt the Avatar anymore because all of my previous reasons were now moot- partially due to Katara- and so I came to release him." I sat back and exhaled in relief that the long-winded part was over. I braced myself for the inevitable questions.

"So… you're together? Like… _together_, together?" Sokka sputtered out. Katara nodded firmly at my side.

"Yes,"

"But… it's _Zuko_. He used to have a _ponytail_." Sokka shuddered childishly. I raised an eyebrow and Katara laughed, relaxing instantly. I studied Sokka and found that beneath his childish shell, he had several more emotions swirling around- apprehension, worry, protectiveness, fear, love, understanding, anger, and mischief. I pondered the last one as it seemed to be the cause of Katara's laughter.

"What's wrong with ponytails, ponytail?" Katara teased.

"Hey, for the last time, this is a _warrior's WOLFTAIL_!" Sokka shot back with a dramatic emphasis. The siblings, Toph, and even Aang (who had been almost too quiet) laughed at what I assumed was an inside joke. Sokka sobered up fist and sighed, looking me directly in the eyes. "Well, okay. But just know, ponytail boy- that is my little sister. I don't care if you are a firebending master, I don't care that you're an exiled prince, and I don't care that you are a spirit incarnate. If you hurt my baby sister… I will find a way to kill you."

"Sokka," Katara half warned, half scolded. I ignored her.

"I will never hurt her… not of my own free will. I swear it upon my honor." Sokka seemed to accept this and softened a bit, eyes sliding over to Toph.

"So… want to go look for water, Miss Earth Rumble Champion?" he asked. Toph stood and nodded.

"You bet, snook-ums," she deadpanned. "And Sparky?" she turned back to me and looked straight through me. "I know that you could take Sokka on easily enough if you hurt sugar queen… but you won't have as much luck with me." She punched me in the shoulder… hard. "Welcome to the family," she stated before following Sokka out of the clearing. And then Aang stood.

"Well… I want you two to know that I don't like this. But the monks always said that everyone deserves a second chance." He stated simply. And then he too, walked away- going over to begin grooming the unkempt fur of the air bison. Katara exhaled, long and loud.

"Well… that went better than I expected." I laughed.

"Thank Agni… we'd better start on building shelters to sleep in tonight." I stated. Katara stood and stretched before bending to place a sweet, chaste kiss on my lips.

"Good idea,"

**A/N: Phew! That was tedious. I am really not happy with this chapter, but it's more of a filler to get me back on track anyways. Next chapter is the "Earth King"! Oh, and a post script- Toph has met Zuko in my version, which is how she was able to recognize him.**

**Please review, it's like the equivalent to my paycheck. Plus, I'll throw in more sexy Zuko hugs to all those who take the time to leave quality feedback!**


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